Soulrider
by NoGreatDane
Summary: The story is about a young woman who ends up with a group of descendants of the Nephilim bloodline, after being attacked by a furie. As the story progresses, she discover that she is a Seer, and that the diabolic nightmares she has been having is in fact visions. At the same time she realises that the erotic dreams of a mysterious faceless lover, may very well be visions too.
1. Chapter 1

SOULRIDER

The young woman, little more than just a teenager, stood at the bridge looking towards the horizon without really seeing anything. If anyone had been close enough, they would have been shocked to see her eyes. They were completely white, no pupil, no iris. Her long black hair waved in the wind, as she climbed the railing. She stood there for a moment, before she spread out her arms and allowed gravity to bring her down, breaking the surface of the water. As she slowly sank towards the bottom, a mysterious sign appeared on her forehead, like it had been burned in her skin.

Neya was lying in her bed, desperately trying to stop shaking. She had just woken up from another nightmare, scared and trembling. She got up and made a cup of coffee. She knew, that people normally avoided coffee when trying to calm down enough to fall asleep, but she had never had a problem with caffeine keeping her awake. Maybe she was just too used to it, considering the amount of coffee she consumed every day. She brought the mug of coffee and a book back to the bed. Reading usually took her mind off of things, when she was lost in speculation. Not long after she fell asleep, the book still in her hand.

 _She was lying in bed sleeping, when she was awakened by the softest kiss on her cheek. "Wake up, sleepyhead, I´ve missed you so" a voice whispered in her ear. Her body recognized him at once, welcomed him, burning, aching for his touch. She could feel his breath on her ear, as he kissed her neck just below the ear. He showered her in kisses along her jawline, till he finally reached her lips. At first his kiss was as light as a feather, but as he felt her reacting to him, he made the kiss deeper. He ran his hand slowly, teasingly from her thigh up her hip, till he rested it below her breast, his thumb just touching the outside of it. She pressed her body harder against him, wanting, needing to get closer. He laughed silently against the corner of her mouth "Always so impatient. All good comes to those who wait, you know". Her only response was to pull him even closer, wrapping her legs around his waist and running her hands up his back. "Oh my, you do know how to make a guy feel welcome" "shut up and kiss me" she demanded, and so he did, and when he finally penetrated her she pulled him even tighter, was there with him all the way till the world exploded and she fell spinning to the ground. She gently ran her thumb over his lips, and she knew he was the most important person in her life. "Please stay" she whispered, and tears welled in her eyes, as he started to fade, like he always did, until he was gone and she felt more deserted and alone than ever._

She cried so hard she woke herself up. She curled up, and wrapping her arms around her knees, she cried herself back to sleep.

 _The Soulrider floated through the air. It was searching for a new Host, sensing the souls underneath it, as little dots of light. It was searching for a specific human. It had heard whispers and rumors, and hoped to find this particular female. The timing of the rumors and the sudden death of its previous Host could not be a coincidence. The Soulrider had been in existence for too long to believe in coincidences. Experience had taught it, that everything happened for a reason. The Soulrider was becoming impatient. Though it could exist without a Host for a very long time, it´s immense powers were almost useless when not attached to a human. Things were in motion that needed to be fought. There had been signs here and there, whispers of a rising of an evil not seen in this realm since the very beginning. Suddenly a soul underneath was lighting up like a beacon. The Soulrider froze, it felt how it was being drawn towards the soul. It sensed her latent powers, as she had not yet come to realize her Gift, or the extent of it. It zoomed in on the still unknowing Seer, Dreamer of Dreams, with all of it´s being and began the decent to her soul._

The next day Neya was in a hurry to get to work. She was late for her afternoon shift at the café. She was tired, since she hadn´t slept without waking up from the most disturbing dreams for weeks. Some were violent and diabolic, extreme nightmares. But the others. The other dreams, were definitely the most disturbing of them all. Full of sensuality and passion, and very erotic. The demonic nightmares scared her, but the other dreams freaked her out completely. He had come to her in her dreams every night for weeks, and by now she knew every inch of his body, every scar, every tattoo from his neck to his toes. She had never seen his face, hidden as it always was, in the shadows of the night. She only knew the feeling of his full lips against hers. She knew his scent, the taste of his skin, the feel of his strong muscular body pressed against hers, how it felt when he moved inside her, the pleasure when they reached their destination. And, sadly, she knew how she felt afterwards, when he started to fade away, leaving her to feel more alone than ever. It was not unusual for her to wake up to find herself crying, even screaming, when she realized it was all just a dream.

When she crossed the street in front of the café, she was suddenly hit by a headache so strong it gave her a flush of dizziness. Then it was gone, leaving only a weak sense of nausea. She opened the door to the café and stepped inside, just as the grey sky opened and sent down a heavy rain. Adam, her colleague who she was working with today, looked up from the counter. "Hi there, I was starting to worry. You´re usually never late." He smiled, genuinely happy to see her. She had only been working at the café for a few months, but Adam had soon become a close friend. He was so easy to be around, always looking at the positive and rarely complaining. And he was so funny. He could always cheer her up when she was feeling sad. In return she had listened for hours and hours when his girlfriend dumped him. She had even allowed him to call her in the middle of the night when his broken heart was keeping him awake. Lately he had met someone new, and now the topic had changed to how to win the heart of this new goddess. Neya didn´t mind, it took her mind off her own worries. "Sorry" she told him. "Another bad night. I didn´t get any proper sleep till after dawn." "Still having nightmares?" "Yes, I´m afraid I´ll never run out of unbelievable stuff to dream about."

As the afternoon progressed, so did the weather. It resembled autumn, with the cold chill and heavy rain, although it was the beginning of April. Not many people ventured out in this weather on a Saturday, so not many costumers came to keep them busy. Neya was cleaning the counter to keep herself occupied, when the door opened and four young people in their early twenties came in. Neya frowned when she saw who it was. The group of people were friends of Adams, and used to hang out at the café all the time. She had hoped that the weather would have kept them away today, but apparently, she was in no such luck. She didn´t feel up to having to deal with them today, not after the night she´d had. To be honest, she really liked most of them, they were funny and very friendly. All except one of the guys. He clearly didn´t like her, whenever he spoke to her he would mock her and be sarcastic, causing her to feel stupid. Sometimes when he was really being an ass, his friends would scold him and once Adam even threatened to ban him from the café. They meant well, but it only made her feel like an even bigger idiot, needing them to keep him in check. They came in, and went straight for their usual booth. Since there was only one other costumer in the café, Adam went to join them at their table. As they sat there, Neya watched them undetected through the glass counter she was cleaning. They were relaxed, laughing and having a good time. She couldn´t help feeling a little envious. Growing up at an orphanage, she had never really had any close friends. She had learned early, that people were in and out of her life so fast it didn´t make sense to get too close. So, Adam was actually the first real friend she´d had, and that was mostly due to his persistence. He had just treated her like his new best friend from the first time they met, and slowly she found herself opening up to him. Now she watched him with his friends, and she longed to feel like she was part of something similar, to feel she belonged somewhere. She looked at them individually. Of course, there was Adam, her best friend. He was a little above average height, muscular from the hours he spend at the gym. He had dark, almost black hair and grey eyes. He was really good looking, but then they all were. They were all good looking, muscular, and with an air of knowing their own worth. There was only one woman in the group, and she was stunning. She was, like the guys, tall and muscular. She had long, red curly hair, big blue eyes and fair skin. She had an air of playfulness about her that was really charming. Then there were the twins. Two identical guys, dark haired and with hazel eyes. And finally, there was HIM. The guy she disliked and tried her best to avoid, because of the way he made her feel. He was good looking too, but in a very different league. He was tall, with a body like an athlete. Wide muscular chest, that showed through the tight t shirts he always wore, narrow hips and long legs wrapped in tight fitted jeans with a low waistline. Women were always throwing themselves at him, batting their eyes and slipping him their phone number. She had to admit, that he was gorgeous to look at. His face was just as breathtaking, the face of an angel. His blonde hair was cut short at the sides and neck, but long at the top of his head. His dark green eyes sparkled when he spoke. Elegant cheekbones, a strong jawline and a crocked smile on his full lips. The result was overwhelming. Just too bad he was such an idiot.

Neya had just finished cleaning the counter, when she saw him slowly rise and walk towards her. He moved like a predator, long, lazy, elegant moves. For a second she saw the flash image of a lynx. When he reached her, he leaned on the counter with both his arms. "Adam seems to forget he is actually at work, so I guess you´ll have to honor us with your service today." He said with a melodious voice. She faked a smile. "Sure, what will you have?" "Well, Sera wants Latte, but just ordinary black coffee for the rest of us. Unless, of course, you wish to tempt me with something else?" He sent her that crocked smile of his, his green eyes sparkled. Neya felt warm and uneasy, she hated how he always managed to say something ambiguous. It made her feel like an idiot, because she never knew the right way to respond. She knew he wasn´t actually flirting with her, it was just the way he treated all females. So usually she just ignored it. Today, tired and annoyed as she was, she just looked him straight in the eyes and said, "I have no wish to tempt you, nor do I have anything that could!" He gave her the elevator look, pausing a second at her chest. "I wouldn´t be so sure about that" he said, "But if you insist, I´ll just have to settle for coffee like the others then." "I´ll bring it down." She said, ignoring his words. He shrugged his shoulders. "Fine, whatever" then he turned and walked back to the others. "Ouch! Did she ignore your flirting again? Why don´t you just realize she isn´t interested, and give it up?" Adam said as he returned to the table. "I wasn´t flirting with her, I just ordered our coffee." He said dismissively. "Sure" Adam said with a knowing smile, but wisely didn´t pursue it further. A moment later Neya arrived with their orders, and placed it at the table. "I still say we should go out!" the young woman insisted. "No" said one of the twins. "Sera, we´ve been going out every weekend for a long time. I say we stay home and have a game marathon." The young woman who Neya now knew was named Sera answered. "Alright, we can stay home, but let´s have a movie night instead. You know, with lots of movies, food and snacks." There was a general agreement to this plan. "How about you, would you like to join us?" Sera asked Neya. "It would be great not to be the only girl. Please?" Neya smiled at her. "It´s really nice of you to ask, but I´ve already made other plans. But thanks anyway." "Oh, then maybe next time." Sera said. "Yeah, maybe."

Finally, they reached closing time, and as Adam and Neya closed up the café, Adams friends went to the drugstore next door to get some supplies for the movie night they had just planned. "So, what are your big plans for tonight? Do you have a date or a party you´re going to?" Adam asked her as they cleaned up. "No, not really. I´m planning to spend the night on my couch with a blanket and a book." She answered. "That doesn´t sound like a Saturday night for a young woman. I thought you said you had other plans? He sighed theatrically. "Then, my dear, it´s my sacred duty to take you to hang out at our place. I cannot have you on your couch on a Saturday night at your age. NO!" He declared, as she was about to protest. "I will not take no for an answer! I absolutely insist. I will even promise to bring you home whenever you want." They closed the door to the café behind them as they went outside and locked the door and set the alarm. "No, Adam. It´s a really bad idea. Don´t get me wrong, I like hanging out with you, and I really like most of your friends. They seem really cool. Except for that annoying blonde guy. He dislikes me, and he take every opportunity to make me feel stupid and uneasy, and I honestly don´t want to spend any more time around him than I have to." Adam turned and looked at her. "What is it with you and Angel? I´ve never seen him have that effect on anyone else. Women usually love him, I even heard one woman say he was the kind of guy that could make catholic schoolgirls want to sin. So how come you don´t find him attractive?" Neya looked at him. He was genuinely curious. "Well," she said "First of all, I´m not a catholic, or a schoolgirl. But honestly, I just don´t like the way he acts. Maybe if he pulled his head out of his rear and stopped behaving like an idiot, I might like him. "Well, I think…." Adam said, as the streetlights suddenly went out. He cursed. "Why are you cursing Adam? It´s just a power blackout." "No," he said gloomily. "It´s something far worse. Listen." And then she heard it. It sounded like the flapping of wings, and she could have sworn she´d heard a squeaky scream. "What the…" that was all she had time to say, before she felt someone grabbing her arm. "Get behind me, quickly!" she heard someone demand. "Adam?" she asked, "Not exactly" she heard someone say with a mocking laugh. Her heart sank. Suddenly there was bright shining lights coming from both the white stone in her ring, and from the blades worn by Adam, the twins, Sera and Angel, who she now realized was the one who had ordered her behind him. And in the light, she saw the most terrifying creature, she had ever seen. It was huge, with horns and wings, claws and a spiked tail. Its skin was a grayish green, its eyes red. The air was thick with the stench of sulfur. And then the creature spoke, its voice a mere growl. "Give up the Seer, Nephilim! My Master demands her, and he will not let a pack of halfbreeds stand in his way. Give her up!" "Never!" Adam sneered. "You can tell your Master that she is under our protection. He will never have her!" Angel declared. The creature imitated a laugh, but it was little more than a snort. "So be it, you have chosen your death." It said, as it lashed it´s spiked tail at Angel, only to be attacked by all three blade carriers. Neya was terrified, but also fascinated by what she saw. The five of them were amazing to watch. They looked like dancers, as they moved, struck, retreated and attacked. It was obvious they were used to fighting side by side, they always seemed to know exactly where everyone else was at any time. Finally, Adam and Sera pinned the creature to the ground. Angel stepped forward rising his blade high above his head, before sending it straight down to the creature's chest. A black tar like substance ran from the wound as Angel withdrew his blade. Then it began to tremble and shake, before it finally turned to black dust and disappeared. Slowly Neya slid to the ground, her knees were shaking so violently she couldn´t stand up. Her mind was desperately trying to grasp at reality, when the next shock hit her. They were checking each other for wounds, when she saw Angel pull off his t shirt to check a gash on his chest caused by one of the creature's claws. What instantly caught her attention, was the tattoo on his side, stretching from his hip to his arm. She knew that tattoo! How often had she traced it´s swirls and lines with her finger? Even the gash on his chest, she recognized. Only, in her dreams it was a scar. But how could that be? How was that possible, unless…. She looked at him, desperately trying to deny the obvious. "No!" she whispered. "No, it´s impossible! It can´t be. No, no, no, no…..." the others gathered around her, clearly convinced her outburst being about the foul creature attacking them. "Hey, it´s okay" Adam said. "Everyone is fine, only flesh wounds, nothing serious." She didn´t seem to hear or see him, she was staring at Angel, who was kneeling in front of her, by Adams side. "Look, I know it´s all very scary and confusing, but we can´t linger here. We need to get away. Can you walk?" She just stared at him, trying to force her mind to work. But all she said was "It was you all along. How can that be? Why did it have to be you?" Then her mind finally gave in, and she passed out.

Neya heard an annoying buzzing. It dragged her towards the surface of waking up, when she would much rather have stayed buried in the numbness of unconsciousness. As she felt she was being pulled closer to reality, the buzzing slowly transformed into lowered voices. "Why is she still not awake then?" she heard Angel say. "I told you, she passed out from shock. Her mind closed down to protect her sanity, she will wake up when she´s ready to deal with what happened." An unfamiliar female voice answered. It sounded tired, as though it had been through this conversation over and over. Suddenly it all came back to her. The creature attacking, Adam and his friends fighting it off and killing it with bright shining swords and daggers. And finally, how she had discovered how Angel turned out to be the one she had been having all the erotic dreams about. She gasped for breath, as she bolted up into sitting position. All she could think about, was how he could never find out, he could never know she had been having such dreams about him. The room was spinning, and so she put her head in her hands and closed her eyes. "Here, drink this. It will make the dizziness go away." She looked at the person who had spoken. It was a middle-aged woman, who she had never seen before. She was tall and slim, with white hair and piercing blue eyes. She was holding a cup with a steaming hot liquid, that smelled like flowers and herbs. Neya took the cup. "Thank you." She said, as she started to sip. It tasted just as good as it smelled, and she soon felt stronger and clear in her head. The woman smiled at her. "I´m Magdalena, but everyone calls me Mags. If you´re feeling strong enough, I suggest we all go sit in the kitchen. You must have a lot of questions, my dear, as do I. But I do believe we´ll be better seated at the kitchen table. Besides, my guess is you´re all hungry." There was a general agreeing to that. Neya slowly got on her feet and followed the rest to the kitchen, where they found their places at the huge table. A chair was being offered to her, and she sat down. She found herself seated between Adam and one of the twins, and across from Sera and Angel. Mags was seated at the end of the table, closest to the cooking area. While everyone was finding their seats, Mags had been setting the table, that was now full of fruit, sandwiches and pies. "First, we eat. Then we talk." Mags said, as she sat down.


	2. Chapter 2

As they all started eating, Neya observed them all. They joked and teased each other, almost like siblings. It felt warm and homely, and Neya couldn´t help feeling a little envious. She shook off the feeling of loneliness and sadness, and tried to eat a little. When they were finally all finished, they quickly cleared the table and cleaned up the kitchen. Then they all sat back down at the table, that was now set with coffee mugs for everyone. Neya realized that they all drank almost as much coffee as she always did. Somehow it made her feel like she fitted in, even if just a little.

"Now," Magdalena said "Tell me what happened." Angel took up his blade, it looked like a sword, but it was a good deal shorter, so it was easier to carry around undetected. Then he placed it at the table. "A Furie, that´s what happened." Sera frowned. "Angel, you are aware that we eat at this table, right?" He looked at her in disbelief. "You really think this is the time to discuss table manners? Besides, I cleaned it, alright?" She shrugged. "I just think it´s gross, that's all." He was just about to respond, when Magdalena interrupted. "Angel, Seraphina is right. It is not appropriate to place weapons on a dinner table, please remove it." Angel shrugged his shoulders, but did as he was asked. "The question is, who would send a furie after her" He pointed at Neya "And why it was ordered not to kill, but to capture her." You´re right," Magdalena said "That is very odd, certainly not normal demon behavior. Neya dear, can you tell us anything that might explain why a demon would attack you?" Neya banged her coffee mug to the table. "No! I don't know about that, and I don't understand. Anything. I don't understand how that, that _thing_ could be real. I don't understand a damn word it said, or the meaning of it. And I definitely don't understand what any of this has to do with me, why I´m here, who you guys are or why you are running around carrying swords and daggers. Actually, right now I´m starting to think that this is either another one of my nightmares, or that maybe I´m going crazy and ought to check myself in to a mental hospital!" After this tirade, she sank down in her chair. "In case you didn't notice, our _running around carrying swords and daggers_ saved your life tonight." Angel said, clearly annoyed. "Michelangelo, please." Magdalena said with a firm voice. Neya saw him twitch as Magdalena used his full name. She could easily understand why he preferred to be called Angel. "It is perfectly understandable if Neya is confused and frustrated. Maybe it would be best if you told her our story, then it might all make more sense to her." Angel looked at her. "But Mags, wouldn't it be better if you told it? You know the story better than any of us." She shook her head. "I think it will be easier for Neya to understand, if it is told with your words." Angel sighed, then he turned to Neya. "Alright. To start at the beginning. We-" He looked around at the others. "We are descendants of the Nephilim bloodline. Since you´ve already stated that you´re not a catholic schoolgirl "He winked at her and sent her that crocked smile of his. Neya couldn´t help blushing, as she realized he´d overheard her conversation with Adam. He continued. "I´ll try to explain. The myth goes, that when The Lord first created the world, both Angels and Humans walked the face of the earth. However, some of the angels laid with human women, who would then give birth to giant half breeds, the so-called Nephilim, children of humans and angels. The Lord found this to be an abomination, and sent a flooding to wash the Nephilim off the face of the earth. You probably know the story of Noah and the Ark. Anyway, the myth tells, that somehow the Nephilim bloodline survived the flooding, and since The Lord did not want to send another, He made the Nephilim an offer. The Lord offered to allow the survival of the Nephilim bloodline, to even aid it in small ways, if in return the Nephilim would devote themselves to always protect the human kind and fight the demons that would find their way into this realm. Of course, the Nephilim accepted the offer. And so, our entire existence is bound to this one task, to protect mankind against the evil of demons and demonic activity. It is the core of our souls." He took a deep breath, then looked directly into her eyes. " The world is not as you thought, and the sooner you come to terms with that, the sooner you´ll feel better." Neya just stared at him. "You´re actually serious? Really? You expect me to believe this far out biblical tale?" He leaned back and looked at her through half-closed eyes. "Well, that's entirely up to you. But you saw that furie yourself. It was no nightmare, or hallucination. I´ve got a gash in my chest to prove it. I´ll show you, in case you´ve forgotten." She shook her head. "Alright, you´ve got a point. My nightmares usually don't leave traces on peoples knives. Or scars on their bodies. I just still don't understand what any of this has to do with me." "Maybe it's time you told us a little about your background." Magdalena said. "Maybe we can find some answers there." Neya looked at her. "I doubt it. There's actually not much to tell. I was born at the hospital in this city 21 years ago. My mother died right after giving birth to me, she only lived long enough to name me. No one knows who my father was. I was raised at an orphanage. I finished school, and now I´m working at the café to save up enough money to go to college. I have no family, no history, nothing to explain why that _thing_ was after me. All I have is this ring that used to belong to my mother." Magdalena smiled at her. "May I take a look at it please?" Neya took off her ring and gave it to her. It was a simple silver ring with a white stone. Magdalena examined it closely, then she mumbled something almost inaudible, and suddenly the ring lit up with a bright shining light. Neya remembered that it had done the same, when they were being attacked by the furie. "It seems, my dear, that your mother left you an Elfstone. This is very interesting." Neya looked at her, clearly confused. "I don't understand. What is an Elfstone? And how did you do that? Make it light up like that?" Magdalena gave her back the ring, that no longer was lit. "An Elfstone is a very rare gemstone. Only elves know how to sing it from the cliffs. Often the elves will induce them with some kind of magic. This makes them very rare, and very valuable. Elves usually keep them for themselves, or gives them to people who have somehow earned their gratitude and respect in some way. But that rarely ever happens. But this tells us, that your mother, or someone close to her, was part of our world. It does not, however, bring us any closer to an answer to why you were attacked by that furie." Neya hid her head in her hands. "This nightmare just keep getting worse." Magdalena froze. "Nightmare!" She said. "You keep talking about nightmares. Will you tell me about them? Please?" Neya blushed. "There´s really not much to tell. The past couple of weeks I´ve been having these awful nightmares about demons and foul creatures. It's all blood and smoke, and this disgusting smell of sulfur. That's all." She looked down at her hands, not daring to look into their eyes, too afraid of what she might see there. "Your latest nightmare, would you mind telling us about it?" Magdalena asked her. Neya took a deep breath. "Last night I dreamt of this young girl about my age. She was wearing a hospitalgown, standing on top of a tall building. There´s no monsters to be seen, but I can hear them hissing and whispering. Although I cannot quite hear exactly what they´re saying, it seems as though they´re cheering her on. She walks like a sleepwalker to the edge of the roof, then she turns around and spread out her arms. Her eyes are all white, no pupil or iris, just pure white. Then she leans back and falls from the roof. Just before she hits the ground, a mark appears on her forehead, like a burn mark or something." "This burn mark you mention, have you ever seen it before?" "Yes. Every time I dream of someone committing suicide, the mark turns up on their forehead, just before they die." "Do you often dream about people who commit suicide?" Magdalena asked. "No, it´s only happened like 4-5 times. Mostly I dream about foul creatures like the one last night, burning down cities and destroying buildings, attacking fleeing people." Magdalena sat for a moment, lost in thought. Then she asked. "This burn mark, do you remember how it looks? Do you think perhaps you could draw it?" "I guess, but I´m really bad at drawing. I can try, though." One of the twins got up and went to a cupboard, then returned to the table with pen and paper. "Thank you, Gabriel." Magdalena said, then she turned to Neya. "Whenever you´re ready, my dear." Neya started to draw, then when she was done, she handed the drawing to Magdalena. She looked at it for a moment, then looking slightly pale, she folded the paper. "If you don't mind, tomorrow I would like to take it to some people I know. If anyone knows about this sign, it´ll be them. I´d like you to come along." Then she got up. "Now, it´s late and I´m sure we´re all tired. We can continue talking tomorrow, when we´re rested. Neya, until we know more about all this, I suggest you stay here. I don´t believe it will be safe for you to return to your own place at the moment. There´s a couple of guestrooms here, I suggest you take the one next to Sera's room, it´s just been cleaned. I will return to my own apartment, it´s just next door to this one. Goodnight, I´ll see you all for breakfast." Then she left. Sera turned to Neya with a smile. "come on, I´ll show you to your room." Sera led her down the corridor from the kitchen, pointing out the different peoples rooms along the way. They were all placed to the right. "So, Adams room is the first, then there's Gabe's room, next is Mikes room. This is my room, and the next will be your room. The room after yours is Angels. She opened the door into the room that was to be Neyas. "Tomorrow we can go get some of your own things, but tonight you can borrow a pj from me. You are a bit shorter than me, but I think I have one that will fit you. I´ll be right back." As Sera left, Neya took a closer look at the room. It was a nice room, pretty big with a small couch, two armchairs and a coffee table in one end. There was also a door that led into a nice bathroom. The other end of the room had a sort of raised platform with a huge bed. She saw, that the entire outer wall was made of glass panels, some of which could be opened and led to a sort of balcony that seemed to run all the way along the side of the building, apparently with access from all the bedrooms. Sera returned with a towel, a new toothbrush, some toiletries and some clothes. "Here you go." Sera handed her the pile of stuff with a smile. "I´m so glad you´re here. It´ll be nice to have another girl here. I swear, sometimes I think I´m going crazy, being the only girl among four guys. By the way, I took some clean clothes for you to wear tomorrow too. Goodnight." "Goodnight, and thank you, for everything." "Don´t mention it. Like I said, I´m just glad I´m no longer the only girl here. Well, not counting the numerous amount of girls Angel is always bringing home. I swear, sometimes it feels like every time I leave my room early in the morning, I see a new girl sneaking out of his." She confided. "Is he really that bad?" "I don´t know if I would call him bad. I guess he´s just never been in love, and with all these women chasing him, who can blame him for accepting their attention? I´ve known him since I was born, and he is really a good guy. He just acts like a real idiot, when he doesn´t know how to handle his feelings. Witch is to say most of the time. Anyway, goodnight, see you tomorrow." Then she left, and Neya went to the bathroom for a quick shower. Afterwards she brushed her teeth, and went through the pile of clothes that Sera had brought her, to look for something to sleep in. She found a shorts and top set, put it on and went to bed.

Back in the kitchen, Sera went straight for Angel. "You could have handled that more elegant! Sometimes you´re just such an idiot!" He looked genuinely surprised at her attack. "What do you mean? Handled what more elegant? I haven´t got a clue what you´re on about." "Well, you just had to make that comment about catholic schoolgirls, to let her know you heard what she told Adam. You seem to go out of your way to make her uncomfortable. Does it really upset your ego that much, that she isn´t crazy about you?" "Of course not! Sera, calm down. I´m sorry, it was a slip, okay? I didn´t mean anything by it, I don´t even think she noticed." "Oh, she noticed alright. Didn´t you see how she turned all red with embarrassment, when you `slipped´ that comment?" "I think Sera is right." Gabe decided to join in. "I think you react with that whole asshole behavior because you can´t handle that a beautiful young woman doesn´t seem to realize how wonderful you are." "Don´t be ridiculous. Of course I´m not interested in her. She just annoys me, that's all." "So, then you´re okay if I decide to ask her out?" Adam said teasingly. "Sure. Although I don´t think it would be wise as long as we don´t know more about this situation with her and the furie. And frankly, I didn´t think she would be your type." Adam smiled. "Don´t worry, I was just teasing. Besides, we´re just friends. I don't think of her that way."

As he was getting ready to go to bed, Angel thought about what Adam had said. He didn´t like the way he´d felt, when Adam talked about asking Neya out. And he definitely didn´t like how relived he´d felt, when Adam said he didn´t think of her that way. It wasn´t that he himself was interested in her like that. He preferred women of a very different type. Women with experience, who wanted nothing more from him than to have a good time. Neya was not like that at all. He admitted to himself that he found her very attractive, and that her complete lack of interest in him provoked him. And when she simply ignored his attempts to flirt with her, he had turned to irritate her, to provoke her into some kind of reaction. There was nothing he hated more, than to be ignored. And now she was here, in the room next to his. His feelings were so mixed up, he gave up trying to make sense of them. Then he heard her door quietly open and close.

Neya was tossing and turning in the huge bed. She couldn´t fall asleep, her head was spinning from all that had happened. She still had trouble believing the tales she´d been told, but then nothing seemed to make sense anymore. Finally, she left her room and quietly went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. She had just finished drinking, when she heard Angels voice behind her. "Couldn´t sleep either?" She turned around and looked at him. He was wearing only a pair of jeans, fitted low on his hips. He looked just as tired as she felt. "No." She admitted. "My head keeps spinning with everything that has happened. I feel like the world has been turned upside down." He smiled at her. "I know what you mean. But the world hasn´t changed, it´s as it´s always been. It´s just your perception of it, that's changed." She shrugged. "I guess so. Things are just happening so fast, I can hardly keep up." She turned and looked out the kitchen window. She could see the lights from the street and the moving cars below. "It´s so beautiful." He came over beside her and looked down too. Then he turned to her. "Do you know, I think this is actually the first time you and I have had a real conversation?" She smiled at him. "You´re right. I guess it's the first time we´ve really had anything to talk about." "I´ve tried talking to you many times, but you just ignored me, or shut down the attempt." She turned and looked at him. "well, it´s obvious you don´t like me much, so I didn´t really feel like talking to you." "Why do you keep saying I don´t like you? How did you get that idea?" She backed away, only to find herself backed up against the wall. "Come on! One minute you make fun of me, the next you pretend to flirt. It´s not that hard to figure out." "I never pretended to flirt with you. I did flirt with you, but you just ignored me. Sorry if I reacted badly, but I don´t like being ignored." She lost her temper. "Really? Angel, I´ve seen the girls you usually flirt with. They´re my exact opposite. Of course, you were only pretending to flirt with me. I´m not as stupid as you think!" He slowly approached her, placing a hand on the wall on each side of her head. "Well you are if you don´t even know when someone is trying to get your attention! Maybe this will convince you." Then he leaned in and kissed her. At first, the pressure of his lips against hers were hard, and she put her hands on his chest. But before she could push him away, his kiss softened, and her treacherous hands slid to his back and his neck. He leaned against her, pinning her body to the wall with his. She ran her fingers through his hair, then down his back and finally she rested her hands on his hips, trying to pull him even closer. Her body trembled when he kissed her neck, her heart was beating so fast she was afraid it would leap out of her chest. It was the slamming of a door, that finally awoke her from the craziness. She put her hands back on his chest and pushed him away. "No!" she said. "We can´t do this!" Then she fled the kitchen.

The next morning, they all gathered in the kitchen for breakfast with Magdalena. Neya was very careful not to look at Angel. She felt stupid and embarrassed, and didn´t know what to do about it. "Now," Magdalena said. "Once we´re finished here, Neya and I will go talk to some people I know, who might be able to tell us more about what is going on. At least, I hope so. Neya, until we know more, I think it would be best if you move in here, you won´t be safe at your place. So later we´ll have to go get whatever you need from your home. I´ll just go arrange everything, then in about half an hour I´ll be back for you, and we can go. Adam and Sera, perhaps you´d better come with us. Will you go gear up, just in case?" Then she got up and left. Sera and Adam went to get ready, the rest of them cleared the table. Then Mike and Gabe left the kitchen, while Neya was filling the dishwasher. When she was done, she realized she was alone in the kitchen with Angel. She was just about to leave, when he spoke. "So, are we going to talk about last night, or are you just going to pretend it didn´t happen?" He was leaning against the wall where he´d kissed her only a few hours earlier, his arms crossed over his chest. She sighed, then she finally looked at him. "Well, nothing did happen. We kissed, so? It´s not like it´s going to happen again. I guess last night was just a reaction to everything that happened, a way to let out steam or something." She knew she was talking nonsense, but somehow, she couldn´t stop herself. It made her nervous to be alone with him, especially when he was standing so close. He frowned at her, then walked to the door, where he turned and looked at her. "Well, the next time you feel the need to let out steam, as you say, be sure to find another poor guy to jump. I´m not really into sad reruns." Then he left. Neya dropped onto one of the chairs at the table, shocked at what had just happened. She didn´t mean to say the things she said, it just came out because he made her so nervous. She had almost convinced herself to go after him, when Magdalena returned with Adam and Sera. They were both wearing leather boots and jackets, along with several weapons. They looked lethal. "So, are you ready?" Magdalena asked. Then they all left.

"So where are we going?" Sera asked, when they all climbed out of the cab. "I don´t remember ever being in this part of town before." "Like I said, we´re going to meet some people I know. This is a house much like ours, only this place belongs to my old mentor, William Hunt." "THE William Hunt? He is a legend! I didn´t know he used to be your mentor, Mags." Adam said in awe. "I haven´t told that many people. Anyway, I called him last night when I left you, and arranged this meeting. He seemed very intrigued. Just remember, he is the oldest warlock in the country, and you will treat him with the respect he deserves." "Is that why you didn´t bring Angel?" Sera asked. Magdalena looked at her. "Angel had a different task today, or I would have brought him along. And no, I will not yet tell you what I asked him to do. You will find out soon enough." Then she turned and rang the doorbell. The door was opened almost immediately by a young man with golden hair and eyes like amber. He was very handsome, and welcomed them with a charming smile. "The famous Magdalena and her Nephilim family. Will is expecting you. I´m Chris by the way, and I´m so honored to finally meet you all." He was very friendly and charming, and entertained them with Smalltalk as he led them through the enormous building. Finally, they ended up in a room that was obviously a library. There were heavy bookshelves covering the walls from floor to ceiling. In one end, there was a huge wooden table, large enough to seat at least twenty people. Instead of chairs, there were a long bench on each side of the table. In the opposite end of the room were a couple of couches and armchairs in front of a gigantic fireplace. And standing in front of the fireplace were the most unusual man Neya had ever seen. He was very tall, with long red hair bound in a ponytail at the back of his head. He was dressed like a huntsman, which somehow seemed to make him seem even bigger. It was impossible to guess his age, he seemed both young and old at the same time. As they walked through the door, he turned and smiled warmly. "Magdalena! How wonderful to see you again. It´s been too long. I was very pleased you called. And, I might add, very curious about this problem you mentioned. Please sit. Christopher, would you please fetch Tristan?" They all sat down, and a moment later Chris returned with another young man, tall with black hair. "Now that we´re all here, why don´t you tell me the full story." William said with keen interest. Magdalena went through everything with a precision like a surgeon. She was sharp and to the point. Every now and then William would turn to Neya to get her to elaborate something. Finally, everything had been laid before him. He went to one of the bookshelves, searched for a moment, and then returned with a book, heavy and clearly very old. It looked like it was ready to fall apart and turn to dust any moment. He turned page after page till finally he found what he was looking for. "This mark, burned in the forehead, does it look anything like this?" He asked Neya while showing her a picture in the book. She nodded, too shocked to speak. Up until this moment, she hadn´t believed any of it for real. To suddenly see the mark from her dreams pictured in an old book, somehow made it very real. Magdalena took out a piece of paper. "Neya drew this picture of the mark on my request last night, after first telling us about it." She handed him the drawing. He looked at it for a second, then placed both the book and the drawing on the table for them all to see. There was no doubt. The drawing and the picture in the book were alike. William sighed. "This is really serious. This mark is the mark of an ancient Greater Demon. One of the original demons. This is indeed very grave news. Throughout the underworld there has for some time been hints here and there, that something is on the rise. If this demon is involved, then we are in serious trouble. However, it seems we have received a new weapon. So maybe, just maybe, we might actually have a chance against what is coming." "Really?" Adam said eagerly. "A new weapon? What kind of weapon?" William smiled at his eagerness. "There has been rumors and whispers of the coming of a new seer, more powerful than ever seen before. The Dreamer of Dreams, they call her. I am sure, this Seer is you Neya!" Neya looked at him in shock and disbelief. "No!" She said. "You must have me mistaken for someone else. I´m just an ordinary girl. There´s absolutely nothing special about me." "Of course, you´re special. I can even prove it to you. You see, I know more about you than you do. First of all, the nightmares you´ve been having about young people killing themselves. This happened for real. It has been all over the news. I have a friend in the police, who is investigating these deaths, because of the one thing they have in common, the mark burned in their forehead. For obvious reasons, this haven´t been made official. You, Neya, have been dreaming about these deaths before they took place. Second of all, a demon sent a furie to capture you. This is very interesting for two reasons. First, because it would take a very powerful demon to have that much power over a furie. Usually, they´re just used to send to kill the person. Second, if a demon want´s you alive, it´s because it thinks it can somehow use you, or your power." He came over and looked closely at her. "But what really has me convinced, is the fact that you carry a Soulrider inside you." Neya just looked at him, not understanding what he was talking about. "A Soulrider!" Magdalena exclaimed. Adam laughed. "Well, now everything makes so much more sense." He winked at Sera, who giggled. "I´ll say." "I don´t understand." Neya said clearly uneasy. "What is a Soulrider, and how can it be inside me?" William smiled reassuringly at her. "You should not be alarmed. No one knows for sure exactly what a Soulrider is, but they have been in existence since the very beginning of the universe. There has been reporting of them in some of the earliest writings, but never any mention of them harming their Host. All we know for sure about them is, that they are some sort of parasites. They are considered some of the most powerful beings, but their powers are bound to the human hosting them. This means, that you are potentially the most powerful human right now. Soulriders are known to fight demons and all kind of evil or demonic activity. This could be dangerous for you, but since the Soulrider is dependent on a human Host, it will do everything to protect it. Which means, that you could hardly find better protection than you have now. Obviously this Soulrider chose you, because of you being a powerful Seer. Your powers combined with the powers of the Soulrider is almost beyond comprehension. I have lived many centuries, and I have on rare occasions come across a Soulridden human. But never have I seen a powerful combination like this. It is truly amazing. One word of warning though. Soulriders are huge fans of love. But since they do not fully understand the concept, they tend to make a mess of things in their eager to lead their Host to true love. So be very careful of your heart, and who you give it to." At this point, Adam and Sera struggled not to laugh. "So," Magdalena said. "What should we do regarding training and preparing Neya for what is to come?" "Obviously, she should learn to fight and defend herself the regular way. I guess your young ones could take care of that, they are rumored to be the best. And then she should be trained to control her visions, so that she not only sees at random, but can search for specific visions too. And, because of the Soulrider, I think it would be interesting to try to see if she can be taught to use magic." "But Will, she´s not a warlock! How would she be able to learn and control magic?" "I´m not saying she can, Mags. But I can´t help wonder, if the Soulrider could be powerful enough to take care of that. Or if it can resist the amount of power it would bring into the battle against these demons. I think it´s worth the try. We need all the weapons and power we can get our hands on." Magdalena nodded her agreement. "So, I suggest Christopher and Tristan here should try to teach Neya the most basic magic. I´ll see, if I can find another Seer to come and train her in that area." They quickly arranged the details, and then they left. On the way back to the apartment, Neya felt completely numb. She struggled to make sense of all she had just been told. She hadn´t really come to terms with everything that happened yesterday, and today all this new information. Her world was changing faster than she could keep up. But what scared her the most, was that all she could think about was Angel, and how she needed to talk to him and apologize. She did not look forward to it.


End file.
